Hate & Incontinence on the Campaign Trail

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Uncle Sean strongly believes he was not invited to the Democratic Candidates’ July 24th YouTube debate, because Uncle Sean is not a Democratic Candidate. Uncle Sean strongly believes that he has found the transcript of the debate and that he too can engage in a sort of sloppy seconds debate. Here Uncle Sean takes on the Democrats:

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (CNN) — The eight candidates vying to be the Democrat nominee for president in the 2008 elections answered questions submitted by CNN and YouTube users in a debate Tuesday night. Here is a full transcript of the event:

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN host: Our first question tonight is Zach Kempf in Provo, Utah.

QUESTION: What’s up? I’m running out of tape; I have to hurry.

So my question is: We have a bunch of leaders who can’t seem to do their job. And we pick people based on the issues they that they represent, but then they get in power and they don’t do anything about it anyway.

You’re going to spend this whole night talking about your views on issues, but the issues don’t matter if when you get in power

nothing’s going to get done.

We have a Congress and a president with, like, a 30 percent approval rating, so clearly we don’t think they’re doing a good job. What’s going to make you any more effectual, beyond all the platitudes and the stuff we’re used to hearing? I mean, be honest with us. How are you going to be any different?

COOPER: Senator Dodd, you’ve been in Congress more than 30 years. Can you honestly say you’re any different?

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes he would just like to interject here for a moment and point out that he has never heard of any Senator Christopher Dodd and strongly believes that this Christopher Dodd who you claim has been a member of Congress for more than 30 years is no more than just a figment of your fevered imagination Anderson!

Uncle Sean will be different. Uncle Sean is the only candidate who will refer to himself in the third person, no other candidate has it in them to take on the third person. Uncle Sean strongly believes that he will not start spouting platitudes and he will make a difference with his mastery of the third person. Uncle Sean loves America. Uncle Sean strongly believes that God blesses America.

SEN. CHRISTOPHER DODD: Well, I think so.

First of all, thank you for inviting us here in The Citadel. It’s great to be here at this wonderful college, university.

Certainly, I think it’s a very important question one ought to be asking because, while hope and confidence and optimism are clearly very important, I think experience matters a great deal — the experience people bring to their candidacy, the ideas, the bold ideas that they’ve championed over the years, whether or not they were successful in advancing those ideas and able to bring people together.

I’m very proud of the fact that, over my 26 years in the Senate, I’ve authored landmark legislation, the Family and Medical Leave Act, child care legislation, reform of financial institutions.

In every case, those are new ideas, bold ideas, that I campaigned on and then were able to achieve in the United States Senate by bringing Republicans as well as Democrats together around those issues.

That’s what’s missing, more than anything else, I think, right now, is the ability to bring people together to get the job done.

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes that he has just seen a figment of your imagination answer a question! Damn you Cooper! You drugged Uncle Sean’s water, you bastard! Uncle Sean would thank you for inviting him but he’s not really here.

COOPER: But if someone really wants a change, are you the guy to give it to them?

DODD: Well, I think they ought to look back. Speeches are easy to make and rhetoric is easy to expose here. But I think the idea of looking back and saying, “What have you done?” –if you want to get a good idea of where someone is going to lead or how they’re going to lead, I think it’s very appropriate to say, “What have you done? Show me. Demonstrate to me the ability to get these things done that you’ve championed in the past.”

COOPER: Senator Obama, your supporters say you are different. Your critics say you’re inexperienced. You’re a first-term senator.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Well, I think the questioner hit the nail on the head. As I travel around the country, people have an urgent desire for change in Washington. And we are not going to fix health care, we’re not going to fix energy, we are not going to do anything about our education system unless we change how business is done in Washington.

Now, part of that is bringing people together, as Chris said. But part of it is also overcoming special interests and lobbyists who are writing legislation that’s critical to the American people.

And one of the things I bring is a perspective as a community organizer, as a state legislator, as well as a U.S. senator, that says: Washington has to change.

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes that none of his opponents have the Foreign Policy experience necessary to handle the Presidency. Uncle Sean has no Foreign Policy experience and that is the way it should be. Uncle Sean couldn’t even tell you which country New Mexico belongs to. Is it Ecuador? Uncle Sean also believes that Barak Obama is dreamy.

COOPER: A lot of people say — Congressman Kucinich, your supporters certainly say you are different. Even your critics would certainly say you are different. Here’s a direct question for you.

QUESTION: Hello. My name is Davis Fleetwood. I’m from Groton, Massachusetts. My question is for Dennis Kucinich.

After watching the first several debates, which seemed more like conversations than actually debates, we’re all clear out here that you Democrats are united. We get it.

But we have a very important decision to make coming up very soon, and Americans desperate for a change need to know: Congressman Kucinich, how would America be better off with you as president than we would be if either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama became president?

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean refuses to allow this question to be answered because Dennis Kucinich is a Leprechaun and therefore a citizen of Ireland! He is ineligible to run for President and we should not be tempted by his magical pot of Leprechaun gold!

COOPER: Our next question is for Senator Clinton.

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: Hi. My name is Rob Porter, and I’m from Irvine, California.

I have a question for Hillary Clinton.

Mrs. Clinton, how would you define the word “liberal?”

And would you use this word to describe yourself?

Thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes he doesn’t see the humor in that question. Uncle Sean is liberal in a conservative fashion and conservative in a libertarian fashion while also being libertarian in a liberal fashion. Uncle Sean refuses to accept your terms of “liberal” and “conservative.” Uncle Sean’s record stands on it’s own! Uncle Sean is the only truly Uncle Sean candidate!

CLINTON: You know, it is a word that originally meant that you were for freedom, that you were for the freedom to achieve, that you were willing to stand against big power and on behalf of the individual.

Unfortunately, in the last 30, 40 years, it has been turned up on its head and it’s been made to seem as though it is a word that describes big government, totally contrary to what its meaning was in the 19th and early 20th century.

I prefer the word “progressive,” which has a real American meaning, going back to the progressive era at the beginning of the 20th century.

I consider myself a modern progressive, someone who believes strongly in individual rights and freedoms, who believes that we are better as a society when we’re working together and when we find ways to help those who may not have all the advantages in life get the tools they need to lead a more productive life for themselves and their family.

So I consider myself a proud modern American progressive, and I think that’s the kind of philosophy and practice that we need to bring back to American politics.

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes you just used your time to say absolutely nothing. What is the value of that answer when it comes to domestic policy? Damn it, Senator, where do you stand! Where do you stand!

COOPER: So you wouldn’t use the word “liberal,” you’d say “progressive.”

UNCLE SEAN: Yes, that’s what she said. Uncle Sean calls bullshit! Can Uncle Sean do that here? He’s sure that’s somewhere in Robert’s Rules.

(APPLAUSE)

Senator Gravel, are you a liberal?

FORMER SEN. MIKE GRAVEL: I wouldn’t use either word (OFF-MIKE) Zach asked about change. You’re not going to see any change when these people get elected.

We were asked about — that we’re united.

We’re not united. I’m not united on many of their views. And I want to take on Barack Obama for a minute, who said he doesn’t take money from lobbyists. Well, he has 134 bundlers. Now, what does he think that is?

And, besides that, he has received money from a Robert Wolf, the head of the USB (sic) bank in the United States, who raised $195,000 — from this bank — wait a second — who has lobbyists in Washington…

COOPER: Your time is up.

GRAVEL: … and it’s a foreign-owned bank.

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes you shouldn’t cut him off! Uncle Sean thought this debate was finally getting interesting! Uncle Sean for President!

COOPER: Senator Obama, I’m going to have to let you respond.

OBAMA: Absolutely.

Well, the fact is I don’t take PAC money and I don’t take lobbyists’ money.

And the bundlers — the reason you know who is raising money for me, Mike, is because I have pushed through a law this past session to disclose that.

And that’s the kind of leadership that I’ve shown in the Senate. That’s the kind of leadership that I showed when I was a state legislator. And that’s the kind of leadership that I’ll show as president of the United States.

GRAVEL: Wait a minute…

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: Don’t cut him off you applauding monkey rat bastards! This was just getting interesting! Blood! I want blood Gravel! Shut up Cooper! I want to hear from that guy who I’ve never heard of who is named after rocks!

COOPER: Our next question is for Senator Biden.

QUESTION: Hello. This question is for all of the candidates. Partisanship played a major role in why nothing can be done in Washington today. All of you say you will be able to work with Republicans. Well, here’s a test. If you had to pick any Republican member of Congress or Republican governor to be your running mate, who would it be?

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes that God damns you Cooper! That question wasn’t for Biden! That question was for everyone! Uncle Sean is everyone! Uncle Sean would select Joe Lieberman if forced to select a Republican running mate.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: All right. Stay on the topic.

Senator Edwards? Any Republicans?

FORMER SEN. JOHN EDWARDS: Actually, I think Chuck Hagel is a good choice. But I — if you listen to these questions, they all have exactly the same thing, which is how do we bring about big change?

And I think that’s a fundamental threshold question. And the question is: Do you believe that compromise, triangulation will bring about big change? I don’t.

I think the people who are powerful in Washington — big insurance companies, big drug companies, big oil companies — they are not going to negotiate. They are not going to give away their power. The only way that they are going to give away their power is if we take it away from them.

(APPLAUSE)

And I have been standing up to these people my entire life. I have been fighting them my entire life in court rooms — and beating them.

If you want real change, you need somebody who’s taking these people on and beating them…

COOPER: Time.

EDWARDS: … over and over and over.

COOPER: The other thing you’re going to see tonight are candidate videos. We’ve asked each campaign to put together a 30- second YouTube-style video. The first one is from Senator Chris Dodd.

UNCLE SEAN: Horseshit! Uncle Sean didn’t hear about this! Uncle Sean is going to fire his campaign manager! It’s a good thing he wasn’t invited otherwise this would be very embarassing.

COOPER: [cut because Uncle Sean doesn't give a damn]
(LAUGHTER)

Almost 50 percent of South Carolina’s Democrats are African- Americans. It’s among the highest percentage of the nation. So we’re giving a lot of questions from YouTube viewers on race tonight.

This first one is for Senator Edwards. Let’s listen.

QUESTION: Hello, America. Hello, presidential candidates. This is Will from Boston, Massachusetts. And I hope, you know, they put this question on. It’s a question in the back of everybody’s head. You know, in some people, it’s further back than others, collecting cobwebs.

But is African-Americans ever going to get reparations for slavery?

I know you all are going to run around this question, dipping and dodging, so let’s see how far you all can get.

COOPER: Senator Edwards, no dipping and dodging. Should African-Americans get reparations?

EDWARDS: I’m not for reparations. I can answer that questions. But I think there are other things we can do to create some equality that doesn’t exist in this country today.

Today there was a report that, right here in Charleston, African Americans are paying more than their white counterparts for mortgages than any other place in America, any other place in the United States of America.

And here’s an example. What is the conceivable explanation for this, that black people are paying more for their mortgage?

And, by the way, it’s not just low-income African Americans; it’s high-income African-Americans. There’s absolutely no explanation for this. It goes to the basic question that I raised just a few minutes ago.

To have a president that’s going to — is going to fight for equality, fight for real change, big change, bold change, we’re going to have to somebody — we can’t trade our insiders for their insiders. That doesn’t work.

What we need is somebody who will take these people on, these big banks, these mortgage companies, big insurance companies, big drug companies. That’s the only way we’re going to bring about change. And I will do that as president.

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean believes those were some mighty pretty words, but Uncle Sean believes that African Americans don’t need reparations. What African-Americans need is respect. Respect and equality. To be treated fairly and honestly. Like … wait … ummm who is getting respect exactly? Anyone out there getting treated fairly and honestly? Okay put down your hands rich people.

Okay that was everyone. Damn. Uncle Sean doesn’t believe in reparations or equality for African Americans. Uncle Sean strongly believes in equality for everyone. When we can all be treated as equals, when we are all show respect, when we are all treated fairly and honestly, then, and only then, will things be truly right in this country.

COOPER: Senator Obama, your position on reparations?

UNCLE SEAN: What? Nothing? No applause? Come on. That was a good answer. You people suck.

OBAMA: I think the reparations we need right here in South Carolina is investment, for example, in our schools. I did a…

(APPLAUSE)

I did a town hall meeting in Florence, South Carolina, in an area called the corridor of shame. They’ve got buildings that students are trying to learn in that were built right after the Civil War. And we’ve got teachers who are not trained to teach the subjects they’re teaching and high dropout rates.

We’ve got to understand that there are corridors of shame all across the country. And if we make the investments and understand that those are our children, that’s the kind of reparations that are really going to make a difference in America right now.

COOPER: Is anyone on the stage for reparations for slavery for African-Americans?

Are you?

KUCINICH: I am.

UNCLE SEAN: Damn it Uncle Sean told you to ignore that Leprechaun, Cooper!

COOPER: Our next question is for Senator Dodd.

QUESTION: Do you believe the response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina would have been different if the storm hit an affluent, predominantly white city? What roles do you believe race and class played in the storm’s aftermath? And if you acknowledge that race and class affected the response efforts, what can you do to ensure that this won’t happen in the future? And what can you do to ensure this nation’s most needy people, in times of crisis and always, something will be done to help them too?

UNCLE SEAN: Cooper, a figment of your imagination can’t answer a question for anyone but you!

COOPER: Governor Richardson, the Democrats talk a lot about the failure of the president with Hurricane Katrina. The governor of that state was a Democrat; the mayor of that city is a Democrat as well.

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON: Well, there was politics. All of a sudden, other states that had the similar devastation got better treatment, like Mississippi.

This is what I would do. The response of our government to Katrina, before, during and after, was inexcusable. We have got to eliminate in the future any red tape that helps families — that helps the devastation.

Secondly, we have to let those that live there to come back first, instead of big moneyed interests. We have to stop the predatory lending of insurance companies, housing and many others that are ripping off the people.

And then, finally, we have to make sure that a president cares — and doesn’t just pose for photo ops, but makes a difference and a commitment to rebuild that city and that region.

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: He didn’t answer the question! What are you applauding? Not that a question was actually posed. Come on, damn you people. There was no question and no answer what is the applause for?

COOPER: Our next question comes from Jordan Williams.

QUESTION: Hello. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am a student at K.U., from Coffeyville, Kansas.

This question is meant for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton.

Whenever I read an editorial about one of you, the author never fails to mention the issue of race or gender, respectively. Either one is not authentically black enough, or the other is not satisfactorily feminine.

How will you address these critics and their charges if one or both of you should end up on the Democratic ticket in ‘08?

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean doesn’t believe the Senators have to answer that question. The critics are being ridiculous. How can someone not be “black enough” or “feminine enough” if they are black or a woman respectively? This is a stupid question that doesn’t really address real issues facing our country. No need to answer Senators, I’m here for you.

COOPER: Senator Edwards…

(APPLAUSE)

Senator Edwards, earlier this week, your wife said that you would be a better advocate for women than Senator Clinton. Was she right?

EDWARDS: Well, let me say first that on the question that was just asked to Senator Obama…

COOPER: We prefer you stay on the question…

UNCLE SEAN: Don’t you interrupt Senator Edwards! He is a beautiful beautiful man!

EDWARDS: I’m going to stay on your question. I promise I’ll answer that question. But the first thing I want to say — and I want to speak for everybody, I believe, on this stage — anybody who’s considering not voting for Senator Obama because he’s black or for Senator Clinton because she’s a woman, I don’t want their vote. I don’t want them voting for me.

(APPLAUSE)

I think what Elizabeth was saying was — to answer your question, what Elizabeth was saying was there are very important issues facing women in this country. More women are affected by the minimum wage than men are affected by the minimum wage. I have been the most aggressive — in fact, I would challenge every Democrat on this stage today to commit to raising the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by the year 2012.

UNCLE SEAN: Why 2012 Senator? Why the end of the Presidential term? Why not immediately? Or is this just a vague 5 years early re-election strategy? Uncle Sean strongly believes he is issuing a challenge here and now that anyone taking the Presidency in 2008 should see to it that the minimum wage is raised to $10.00 and hour by the year 2010. It’s the 10 in ‘10 plan. Adopt it! Love it!

COOPER: So do you think you’re a better advocate for women than Senator Clinton?

EDWARDS: Those are issues — listen, Senator Clinton has a long history of speaking out on behalf of women. She deserves to be commended for that. But I believe that on the issues that directly affect women’s lives, I have the strongest, boldest ideas and can bring about the change that needs to be brought.

COOPER: Senator Clinton, is he a better advocate for women?

UNCLE SEAN: Why the hell would she say anything but no to that question, Cooper? Think, man! Think!

COOPER: Our next question is on a topic that got a lot of response from YouTube viewers. Let’s watch.

QUESTION: Hi. My name is Mary.

QUESTION: And my name is Jen.

QUESTION: And we’re from Brooklyn, New York.

If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married to each other?

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes that you should not only allowed to be married but forced to marry one another. Uncle Sean strongly supports lesbians and has the DVD collection to prove it.

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich?

UNCLE SEAN: Fine if you like talking to Leprechauns so much, he can answer the question.

KUCINICH: Mary and Jen, the answer to your question is yes. And let me tell you why.

Because if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.

Yes, I support you. And welcome to a better and a new America under a President Kucinich administration.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: Senator Dodd, you supported the Defense of Marriage Act. What’s your position?

DODD: I’ve made the case, Anderson, that — my wife and I have two young daughters, age 5 and 2.

I’d simply ask the audience to ask themselves the question that Jackie and I have asked: How would I want my two daughters treated if they grew up and had a different sexual orientation than their parents?

Good jobs, equal opportunity, to be able to retire, to visit each other, to be with each other, as other people do.

So I feel very strongly, if you ask yourself the question, “How would you like your children treated if they had a different sexual orientation than their parents?,” the answer is yes. They ought to have that ability in civil unions.

I don’t go so far as to call for marriage. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.

But my state of Connecticut, the state of New Hampshire, have endorsed civil unions. I strongly support that. But I don’t go so far as marriage.

UNCLE SEAN: Cooper, that figment of your imagination is not only talking to me again he’s talking to me out of his ass! What did you put in this water, you bastard!

COOPER: Governor Richardson?

RICHARDSON: Well, I would say to the two young women, I would level with you — I would do what is achievable.

What I think is achievable is full civil unions with full marriage rights. I would also press for you a hate crimes act in the Congress. I would eliminate “don’t ask/don’t tell” in the military.

(APPLAUSE)

If we’re going to have in our military men and women that die for this country, we shouldn’t give them a lecture on their sexual orientation

I would push for domestic partnership laws, nondiscrimination in insurance and housing.

I would also send a very strong message that, in my administration, I will not tolerate any discrimination on the basis of race, gender, or sexual orientation.

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes he just did the same thing the figment of your imagination, Dodd, did, but without looking like as big of an asshole.

COOPER: This next question is for Senator Edwards.

QUESTION: I’m Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I’m the pastor of Exodus Mission and Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina.

Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by his Southern Baptist background. Most Americans agree it was wrong and unconstitutional to use religion to justify slavery, segregation, and denying women the right to vote.

So why is it still acceptable to use religion to deny gay American their full and equal rights?

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS: I think Reverend Longcrier asks a very important question, which is whether fundamentally — whether it’s right for any of our faith beliefs to be imposed on the American people when we’re president of the United States. I do not believe that’s right.

I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue. I want to end discrimination. I want to do some of the things that I just heard Bill Richardson talking about — standing up for equal rights, substantive rights, civil unions, the thing that Chris Dodd just talked about. But I think that’s something everybody on this stage will commit themselves to as president of the United States.

But I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know, Elizabeth spoke — my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a different view of it.

UNCLE SEAN: Holy crap, that beautiful man just gave an answer that sounded honest and sincere! It’s obviously a lie. Uncle Sean strongly believes that you need to come clean on this issue Senator. Gay Marriage, will you let it happen in an Edwards Whitehouse? Yes or no?

COOPER: I should also point out that the reverend is actually in the audience tonight. Where is he? Right over here.

Reverend, do you feel he answered your question?

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: This question was just a catalyst that promoted some other things that wrapped around that particular question, especially when it comes to fair housing practices. Also…

COOPER: Do you think he answered the question, though?

QUESTION: Not like I would like to have heard it…

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: What did you not hear?

QUESTION: I didn’t quite get — some people were moving around, and I didn’t quite get all of his answer. I just heard…

COOPER: All right, there’s 30 seconds more. Why is it OK to quite religious beliefs when talking about why you don’t support something? That’s essentially what’s his question.

EDWARDS: It’s not. I mean, I’ve been asked a personal question which is, I think, what Reverend Longcrier is raising, and that personal question is, do I believe and do I personally support gay marriage?

The honest answer to that is I don’t. But I think it is absolutely wrong, as president of the United States, for me to have used that faith basis as a basis for denying anybody their rights, and I will not do that when I’m president of the United States.

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: Still not really answering the question pretty boy.

COOPER: Senator Obama, the laws banning interracial marriage in the United States were ruled unconstitutional in 1967. What is the difference between a ban on interracial marriage and a ban on gay marriage?

OBAMA: Well, I think that it is important to pick up on something that was said earlier by both Dennis and by Bill, and that is that we’ve got to make sure that everybody is equal under the law. And the civil unions that I proposed would be equivalent in terms of making sure that all the rights that are conferred by the state are equal for same-sex couples as well as for heterosexual couples.

Now, with respect to marriage, it’s my belief that it’s up to the individual denominations to make a decision as to whether they want to recognize marriage or not. But in terms of, you know, the rights of people to transfer property, to have hospital visitation, all those critical civil rights that are conferred by our government, those should be equal.

(UNCLE SEAN left to use the toilet at this point he heard something about more candidate videos, and then something about addressing international questions, he really desperately had to go).

QUESTION: I’m Gabriel. And I’m Connie, from a refugee camp near Darfur.

Before you answer this question, imagine yourself the parent of one of these children.

What action do you commit to that will get these children back home to a safe Darfur and not letting it be yet another empty promise?

COOPER: Governor Richardson, what are you going to do? Would you commit American troops?

RICHARDSON: I was at that refugee camp. And there was a refugee, a woman who came up to me. She’d been raped, her husband had been killed and she said, “When is America going to start helping?”

This is what I would do: It’s diplomacy. It’s getting U.N. peacekeeping troops and not African Union troops. It’s getting China to pressure Sudan. It’s getting the European Union to be part of economic sanctions in Sudan. It’s called leadership.

A no-fly zone, I believe, would be an option. But we have to be concerned about humanitarian workers being hurt by planes, being shot.

The answer here is caring about Africa. The answer here is not just thinking of our strategic interests as a country, as oil and Europe and the Middle East. It should be Africa, Asia and Latin America, doing something about poverty, about AIDS, about refugees, about those that have been left behind. That’s how we restore American leadership in this country.

(APPLAUSE)

COOPER: You say U.N. troops. Does that mean American troops?

RICHARDSON: United Nations peacekeeping troops, and that would primarily be Muslim troops. We need a permanent U.N. peacekeeping force, stationed somewhere.

If we get U.N. peacekeeping troops authorized for Darfur, there’s some already there, it’ll take six months for them to get there. Genocide is continuing there; 200,000 have died; close to 2 million refugees in that region.

America needs to respond with diplomacy, with diplomatic leadership.

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes this is not an issue that will be resolved with only one tactic, we need to engage in diplomacy and military action as well as by offering aid and offering opportunities to everyone.

America needs to open it’s arms wide to the world and let everyone know we’re here to help if we can, and anyone who doesn’t like it gets bombed. Uncle Sean also doesn’t think anyone else’s answer on this is important. Please forget whatever Richardson said. It was not important. Uncle Sean’s message is the only message.

COOPER: OK, want to talk about Iraq tonight. Before we do, I just want to put a picture up on the screen.

That’s United States Marine Corps 1st Lieutenant Shane Chiders. He was a 2001 graduate of this college, The Citadel. March 1st, 2003, it was just after sunrise when Lieutenant Chiders and his platoon were on a mission to capture an oil pumping station from Iraqi soldiers before the Iraqi soldiers could destroy it.

During the operation, a stray bullet hit him just below his body armor. Lieutenant Chiders became the first U.S. service man to die inside Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In all, 12 Citadel graduates died in either Afghanistan or Iraq since September 11th, 2001, and over 1,100 have served in those two countries. Tonight we acknowledge their sacrifices and the sacrifices of all our service men and women now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our first question on Iraq tonight comes from Barry Mitchell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

QUESTION: Mitch from Philadelphia.

My question for all the candidates: How do we pull out now? And the follow-up, are we watching the same blankin’ war? I certainly wasn’t a big fan of the invasion/liberation. It sickens me to hear about soldiers wounded and getting killed daily, not to mention innocent Iraqis, but how do we pull out now? The government’s shaky; bombs daily.

Don’t you think if we pulled out now that would open it up for Iran and Syria, God knows who — Russia — how do we pull out now? And isn’t it our responsibility to get these people up on their feet? I mean, do you leave a newborn baby to take care of himself? How do we pull out now?

COOPER: Senator Obama, how do we pull out now?

OBAMA: Look, I opposed this war from the start. Because I anticipated that we would be creating the kind of sectarian violence that we’ve seen and that it would distract us from the war on terror.

COOPER: Right…

OBAMA: I’m going to get to the question, Anderson.

At this point, I think we can be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. But we have to send a clear message to the Iraqi government as well as to the surrounding neighbors that there is no military solution to the problems that we face in Iraq.

We just heard a White House spokesman, Tony Snow, excuse the fact that the Iraqi legislature went on vacation for three weeks because it’s hot in Baghdad. Well, let me tell you: It is hot for American troops who are over there with 100 pounds worth of gear.

(APPLAUSE)

And that kind of irresponsibility is not helpful.

So we have to begin a phased withdrawal; have our combat troops out by March 31st of next year; and initiate the kind of diplomatic surge that is necessary in these surrounding regions to make sure that everybody is carrying their weight.

And that is what I will do on day one, as president of the United States, if we have not done it in the intervening months.

(APPLAUSE)

UNCLE SEAN: Uncle Sean strongly believes that we just need to pull out and forget this entire mess ever happened but we also need to stay the course. We can’t show the weakness of abandoning these people to the mercies of sectarian violence. We have torn this country apart and there is nothing we can do to help that but relocate everyone.

Uncle Sean has a 73 point plan for the recovery of Iraq that starts with the evacuation of every person in Iraq and ends with a 150,000 square mile amusement park dedicated to Uncle Sean with 20,000 square miles of parking. Uncle Sean also plans the construction of a bridge from the center of New Orleans to the new and improved Iraq which will employ only Iraqi workers, to help rebuild the Iraq economy.
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That is part 1 of Uncle Sean’s Debate with the YouTube Democratic Candidates Debate. Look for Part 2 soon.